Alcohol Millions of people around the world will either be hosting or attending New Year’s Eve parties today. Thus, the Foundation for Alcohol Responsibility is offering tips to help people celebrate safely.

According to Adam Chafetz, chairman of the Foundation for Alcohol Responsibility, “Every holiday, inexperienced drinkers learn their limits the hard way. The crime is that we as a nation accept this process–and the accompanying tragedies–as inevitable, when we have access to information that would help keep them safe. We encourage everyone to make safety their top priority by educating themselves about how to drink responsibly.”

Here are the tips to ensure you have a safe time:

  • Pair your drinks: One of the best ways to avoid losing control is to drink one nonalcoholic beverage for every glass of beer, wine, or liquor. If you’re hosting a party, make sure to have water out on the buffet or dinner table for your guests.
  • Eat: Ideally, you should never drink on an empty stomach. Like water, food (particularly proteins and fats) helps to slow down your absorption of alcohol.
  • Pace yourself: Determine before the night starts what time you plan to leave and how many drinks is a safe and responsible amount to consume over that time.
  • Know what you’re drinking–and how much: It’s often difficult to figure out how much alcohol you’re consuming when you get mixed drinks or high-alcohol beers and wines. Take the time to learn the alcohol content in your favorite drinks so that you know exactly how much alcohol you are consuming.
  • Know the law: The legal drunk driving limit is 0.08% BAC in every state, but in many states you can be arrested at lower levels if you show signs of impairment.
  • Hand over the keys: If you have any doubts about your ability to drive a car after drinking, don’t. Hand over the keys and take a cab. Or stay at a hotel. Or crash on a couch. It’s a decision you will never regret.